[K19 - Barkhesh - FZ] Arms Deal - Blood and Mud

Carm and his crew arrived on Barkhesh, laden with spoils from their Imperial Armory heist- crates of blasters, racks of armor, field cannons still stamped with the Imperial crest not yet filed away.

The Markedon encampment buzzed around them- drills in progress, recruits hauling munitions, a light sea breeze wafting through the camp. Barkhesh smelled of damp earth and saltwater; it smelled alive. After months across Coruscant's manufactured planetside and in the cold hull plating and recycled air of Cinder Station, Carm drank it in.

"With these," Deander said, pointing to one of the artillery pieces, "we can fight the Remnant on their terms. The cannons especially- we’ll blast them out of their bunkers and force them into the open."

"If it keeps them looking over their shoulders," Carm replied, "I’m satisfied."

Deander studied him a moment before turning fully to face him.

"My soldiers say you fought with the Rebellion near the end of the war."

Carm gave a dry chuckle. "I was never much of a soldier. The underworld suits me better."

"Less rigid?" Deander asked.

"And far more profitable."

A flicker of irritation crossed the Markedon leader’s face, but he nodded. "Speaking of profit. We agreed on payment. My people pay what is fair. I can offer Drego Karsk credits at production cost for the weapons and vehicles."

Carm stood for a moment, stunned.

"That’s barely a quarter of their market value," he said, incredulous. "I could move this cargo for multiples of that."

"Perhaps," Deander replied calmly. "But that was when this galaxy was in total war. Now the fighting is fractured. Resources are scarce. I must arm my people and still leave them a future worth fighting for."

Before Carm could answer, a voice called out.

"Commander, I'm getting strange sensor fluctuations. There's minimal wildlife in the area, but my readings are spiking hard."

Deander frowned. "Spiking how?"

"Like something just powered up."

On a distant ridgeline, a distortion field shimmered.

A Shadow Trooper decloaked, black armor drinking in the light. He adjusted his long rifle, bracing it against his other arm.

"I have visual on the Markedon commander… and the thief," he transmitted.

The reply came cold and immediate.

"Take the shot."

The world split apart in a flash of scarlet.

Carm caught the streak of light in the corner of his eye- too fast, too precise.

"Get down!"

He slammed into Deander, driving them both into the mud.

Agony detonated in his arm.

The impact spun him sideways, air punched from his lungs as he hit the ground. The sky above Barkhesh wheeled in dizzying arcs. He tasted iron.

Then darkness crept in at the edges.

Blaster fire erupted across the camp.

"Ridge! Firing line on that ridge!" Markedon soldiers scrambled into formation, bolts tearing into the hillside in a storm of red and blue.

Anja broke into a sprint.

"Carm- no!"

She dropped beside him, hands slicking with blood as she cradled him. His arm was torn open, flesh burned and mangled, dark gore pooling into the mud beneath him.

"Stay with me. Carm- stay with me!"

Up on the ridge, the Shadow Trooper reengaged his cloaking field. His form shimmered and vanished as he withdrew from the edge, blaster fire scorching the rockface where he’d stood moments before.

"The thief is dead- the Markedon leader is still alive," he reported as he retreated.

He moved swiftly. Silent, disciplined.

Then something moved with him.

A blur in the brush.

A low, feral snarl.

Reekar erupted from concealment and swept low with his blade. The strike took the trooper’s legs out from under him. The assassin hit the mossy ground hard, cloak flickering wildly.

Before he could recover, Reekar drove the blade down.

Durasteel crunched. Sparks spat. The Shadow Trooper convulsed once and lay still, cloak dying with a fading hiss.

Below, Anja cradled Carm’s head in her lap, rocking slightly, her voice breaking.

"Carm… please. Don’t you dare leave me. Carm!"

The sea wind carried the smell of salt and blood across the camp.

Parsecs away, Drego smiled as the report buzzed through his comm station.